Paper-feeding mechanism.



R. A. FREEMAN.

PAPEh FEEDING MECHANISM.

R. A. FREEMAN.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1915 I 1,196,851. PatentedSept. 5,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

RUFUS A. FREEMAN, OF IFL'U'SHI1\l '(.'1r, NEW YORK.

'PAPEZRFFEEDIN'G MECHANISM.

Specification 'of Letters la'tent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

' Application filed February 20, 1915. Serial No. 9,534.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS A. FREEMAN,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at Flushin in the county of Queens and State 0 New York, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper- Feeding Mechanism,.of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

-This invention relates to paper-feeding mechanism, and has reference more particularly to that type of mechanism in which the pile of sheets is. acted on by a combing device, which partially separates the topmost sheets one by one and presents them in succession to a delivery mechanism by' which the sheets are conveyed away:

The main feature ofnovelty of'my present invention relates tov the means for con trolling the action'of the combing, device on the sheets, the said means'beingcontrolled in its operation by the successive sheets separated and advanced by the combing device, and the said controlling meansoperating through the medium of improved devicesto be more fully described hereinafter,

i to automatically disengage the combing device from the sheet when the latter reaches a position where itis operated on by the delivery mechanism, and means operating, to cause the combing device to engage the next sheet of the pile. 1

My invention is directed also to means for insuring a uniformthickness or height of thepile of sheets fed to the action of the combing device, at the point Where the combing device acts thereon,'mechan1 sm of improved form being employed whlch 1s controlled in its action by the thickness of the pile and which automatically. controls the means for feeding the pile forwardly, in such manner that the feed will be arrested if the thickness of the pile becomes too great "for proper action of. the combing device, and will be resumed when the normal and proper thickness of the pile is restored.

In the more specific embodiment of my invention, as shown in the accompanying in the form of a rotary drum with peripherally arranged sheet engaging elements thereon, which acts on the topmost sheet of the pile, partially separates the same fromthe next sheet separated sheet mechanism.

beneath, and advances the The combing device is supported in such when engaged with the traveling friction element, to raise the drum;

and operating when disengaged fromsaid element, to permit the drum to descend. member is controlled inits actions by means of a movable controlling member, with which the forward end of the sheet advanced by the combing device, cooperates in such manner that when the sheet engages said member and the latter is moved thereby, the friction member will be caused to engage with the traveling combing device will be elevated out of en-. gagement with the sheet,- and will permit the latter to be conveyed "away by the delivery mechanism, the return of the comb ing device for engagement with the next sheet of the pile, being efi'ected automatiing friction element at a predetermined to the action of the delivery The friction time. Two combing devices arepreferably employed to operate on the same sheet, which devices are thrown outof engagement with the sheet by the independent operation of their respective controlling members; whereby the advancing sheet will be presented squarely and evenly to the action of the delivery mechanism.

The traveling bed which supports the pile of sheets, is advanced by a feeding mechanism, and cooperating with this mechanism is a controlling device which rests upon the pile adjacent the point where the combing devices act, and which controlling device acts automatically to arrest the act-ion of tinued action of the combing devices, theproper thickness of the pile has been restored, whereupon the controlling device will be operated to permit the resumption of the action of the feeding mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one form of embodiment of my invention by way of example, embodying the features of construction above set forth. It will be manifest however, that the constructional details of the mechanism may be variously modified and changed by the skilled mechanic without-departing from the limits of my invention; and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction of the parts, except in so far as suchlimitations are specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, on the line a-a of Fig.1, showing the combing device lowered'in action. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the combing devices raised out of action. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional plan view of one of. the combing devices on-the line b-b of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation of the same on the line 0-0 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings: The operative parts of my improved mechanism are mounted in and sustained by a fiat frame, comprising parallel side frame-bars 1 and 2, connected together at their front ends by a transverse frame-bar 3. Sustained by this frame, is a traveling feeding bed for the pile of sheets, which bed in the present instance comprises a series of endless feedlng;

belts 4, extending longitudinally of the frame, side by side, and supported at the front and rear respectively, by a series of pulleys 5 and 6 carried by transverse shafts 7 and 7 journaled in suitable hearings in the side frame-bars, respectively at their opposite ends. The pile of sheets A is placed on the feeding belts, and motion being imparted to the forward shaft 7, by mechanism to be more fully described hereinafter, the pile will be fed forwardly,'and the topmost sheet will be presented to the action of the overlying combing devices 8,

by which the topmost sheet will be advanced and partially separated from the next sheet beneath, and presented to' the action of the delivery mechanism B by which it will be conveyed away from the machine.

The combing devices, in the form of the drums 8 with the peripherally arranged .the feeding bed, in position to act on the topmost sheet of the pile, and as these devices are identical in form and construction, and are independently operable, a de scription of one will suflice. The drum is mounted fixedly on a shaft 9 journaled in a sleeve 10 fixed to the rear end of' a supporting arm 11, the opposite end of which is loosely mounted on a bushing 12 loosely surrounding a rotary main operating shaft 13 extending transversely above and across the feeding bed, and. mounted at its ends in suitable hearings in standards 1 1 and 15 extending upwardly from the side framebars near their front ends, the construction being such that the two 'combing drums may move up and down independently of each other, respectively out of and into engagement with the top sheet of the pile, their supporting arms 11 in such motions, swinging about the axis of the operating shaft 13. A cylindrical casing 16 surrounds the bushing, and is provided with a central hub which encircles the outer end of the bushing, and to which it is firmly fixed, the sleeve 10 on the arm 11 being extended laterally through a slot 17 formed in .a rearward extension of the casing, the upper end of which slot serves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the arm and consequently the upward movement of the combing drum. The casing is supported at its top, on a horizontal transverse bar 18 extending parallel with and above the shaft 13 and fixedl sustained at its ends in the standards 14 and 15. The casing is provided with a boss containing an opening surrounding the bar and clamped fixedly thereto by means of a set-screw 19, the construction bein such that the casing may be adjustedlongitudinally of the bar to different positions transversely of the feeding bed, for thepu rpose presently to be described. The shaft 9 is extended beyond the end of the sleeve 10, where it has fixed to it a driving pinion 20, engaged by a spur gear 21 connected to shaft 13 by a set-screw 22, in such manner that the gear may be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft. while being subject to the rotary motion of the shaft. The arm 11is engaged on its under side by thereararm 23 of a twoarmed lever 24, mountedbetween its ends to rock on the bushing 12.

The friction member before alluded to, is

in the form of an upright clutch dog 25,

. about its axis,

and out 'of engagement with the annular .friction element surface 28 formed on .the

direction of the arrow 16 ter and raise the combing drum from the long as the friction shoe maintains which, in the is adapted to be moved mto 3 to that shown in be held elevated as engagement with the annular friction surface, the

positionshown in Fig. Fig. 4: The drum will latter in the rotation of the spur gear, slipping past the contacting surface of the frictron shoe, and maintaining the combing drum in its upper position, with the sleeve 10 engaging the upper end of the slot 17 in the cylindrical casing. The clutch dog is rocked on its axisv to disengage the friction shoe from the annular friction surface, by

means of a cam 29 carried by thehub of the spur gear and rotatable therewith, which cam is adapted to engagea roller 30' on the lower end of the clutch dog, and by such engagement. operating to rock the clutch dog on its axis and to positively disengage the friction shoe from the annular'friction surface. When thus disengaged, theweight of the drum will cause it to descend and engage the top sheet of the pile.

The engagement of the clutch dog with the annular friction surface is controlled by the movable controlling member before alluded to as cooperating with the front edge of the sheet advanced by the combing which movable member is indicated device, by the reference numeral 31' (Figs. 3 and 4). This movable member is in the form of an upright lever, pivoted between its ends, as at 32, to the cylindrical casing 16 on a horizontal transverse axis, the upper arm 33 of the lever extending upwardly into the casing and alongside the forward arm 24 of the two-armed lever 24 and being provided with a latch 31*. The lower arm 34 of the lever 31 curves forwardly and terminates in a horizontal finger 35, which extends above and in close proximity to the upper side of a horizontal rotary take-off roller 36 mounted in suitable bearings in the side bars of the frame at their front ends, the arrangement being such that the front edge of the sheet advanced by the combing device, will pass between the under side of the finger 35 and the upper side of the take-off roller, which latter is rotated continuously by the means presently to bedepivotal motions of the ,dog

off roller and movable off roller.

' the latch 31 to the scribed, in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 3 and 4. This take-off roller forms one of the members of the delivery mechanism, the other member being formed by two vertical pressure rolls 37,

up and down relat1vely thereto so as to hold the presented -sheet 1n contact with the take-off roller to enable the latter to convey it away. The pressure rolls .are carried on the forward ends of two arms 38 fixed to a horizontal.

transversely extending rock shaft 39 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame standards, the said shaft being rocked periodically, in the manner to be more fully described later on, in order to cause the pressure rollers at the proper'time, to descend and press the presented. sheet onto the take- The take-ofi' roller is grooved peripherally, and the under side of the finger 35 is correspondingly grooved so that when the finger is in its lower position, the ribs between the grooves thereon will enter into the grooves between the ribs on the take-01f roller, this relation of the finger and roll being permitted when there is no sheet between them. When, however, a sheet enters between the finger and roller, it will lift the finger, and the latter will be maintained by the sheet in raisedposition.

The latch 31 on the upper end of the arm overlying the take-' 33,of lever 31 is adaptedto engage over a horizontal shoulder 395 1 projecting, rearwardly from the clutch-dog, and when so engaged, it'will hold the shown in Fig. 3, this being the position of the parts When the finger 35 of the lever is in its lower position. on with the ribs and grooves interengaging, and with the combing drum in its lowered position in engagement with the topmost sheet of the pile. Lever 31 in this position, therefore, holds the clutch dog" disengaged dog with the frictlon shoe in its rearward'position and dis-' engaged from the annular friction surface as the take-off roller,

from the annular friction surface, and the combing drum rotated by the spur gear, acts on the topmost sheet, advances the same and enters its forward edge'between the finger 35 and take-ofi' roller, the pressure 'rollers 37 during this action being in elevatedposition. As the edge of the sheet enters the bite between the finger and roller, the finger will'be slightly elevated, and the lever, 31'

rocked on its axis, which action .will swi'f rear and will" release the" clutch dog, whereupon the prponderating weight of the upper end of the clutch dog traveling friction surface. As the friction will swing this end forwardly, and cause tln i friction shoe to engage. with the annular;-

i which will automatically cause the combing will elevate. the combing roll in the manner actuates the latter, the pressure rolls 37 de-.

scend as will be presently described, and

pressing the sheet against the rotating takeoff roller,'the latter will convey the same from the machine. During this action, and while the sheet is being conveyed away by the take-off roller, the high part of cam 29 engages roller 30 on the clutch dog and the latter is swung on its axis and its friction shoe disengaged from the annular friction surface; whereupon the weight of the combing drum will cause it to descend and effect engagement with the next sheet. 'By this time the preceding sheet has passed from between the finger 35 and take-ofi' roller, and the finger descends, and the ribs thereon enter the grooves in the take-ofi roller, which action will throw the upper arm 33 of the lever forwardly and cause its latch 31 to engage over the shoulder 39 on the clutch dog and clock the same out of engagement with the moving friction surface, the engagement of the latch with the shoulder occurring while the high part of the cam 29 is holding the clutch dog in the position shown in Fig. 3. The next sheet is now advanced by the combing device, and entering between the finger and take-off roller, the finger Will be elevated as before, and the latch 31 disengaged from the clutch dog, and the foregoing operations will berepeated, resulting in the disengagement of the combing device from the sheet, and the delivery of the latter from the machine by the delivery mechanism. .It is seen, therefore, that the lever 31, by cooperating with the sheet advanced by the combing device, will, when this sheet arrives at the point where it is subject to the action of the delivery mechanism, initiate the action of mechanism device to disengage from the advanced sheet, the result being that the combing device w ll advance the sheets successively .to the action of the delivery mechanism, and will release or disengage the successive sheets as they are in turn received bylthe delivery mechanism. By reason of the relative form and arrangement of the cooperating engaging surfaces of the latch 31 and shoulder 39 which surfaces extend substantially in line with the back and forth movement of the latch,

but a slight pressure against the under side of thefinger 35 will be required by the advancing-sheet, to actuate the latch to release the "clutch dog. .Consequently the edge of the sheets will trip the lever with certainty and uniformity, and Without liability of buckling or becoming displaced.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that the swinging arm 11 supporting the combing drum, has a movement relatively to the two-armed lever .24 which supports the clutch dog. The purpose of this particular construction is to prevent any vibration or jar, to which the arm 11 might besubjected in the rotary motion of the combing drum, from releasing the clutch dog when held disengaged by the latch on lever 31. As above stated, the cooperating surface of the latch on the lever and shoul-. 'der on the dog extending substantially in the line of movement of the shoulder, there would be liability,if the two-armed lever 24 were connected to the swinging lever 11, of the vibration or jar of the latter releasing the dog before'the sheet being acted on by the combing device, reached the take-off roller. Therefore by sustaining the combing drum and dog, respectively by separate parts, that is, parts capable of relative motion, the clutch dog will not be afiected by the arm, and there will be no liability of ac-' cidental engagement of the clutch dog with the annular friction surface,'and the consequent elevation of the combing drum prematurely. When the supporting arm descends to carry the drum into engagement with the sheet, the weighted rear arm 23 of the twoarmed lever also descends, and continues to descend after the drum engages the sheet,

with the annular friction surface, is limited by a vertical stop screw 40 threaded in the forward arm 24; of the lever 24, with its upper end in position to be engaged by a to carry the friction shoe into engagement lllltl laterally extending lug 41 on the clutch dog when the dog is swung so as toeffect engagement with the annular friction surface By adjusting this screw, the degree of frictional engagement between the shoe and annular surface may be controlled so as to maintain a relation of the parts which will insure their effective and proper cooperation.

By. supporting the casing 16, which incloses the operating mechanism for the combing devices, adjustably on the transverse bar 18, and by connecting thespur gear 21 with the shaft 13 for longitudinal adjustment thereon, the two combing devices may be adjusted independently of each other transversely with reference to the feeding bed. The purpose of this adjustment is to provide for the proper operation of the combing devices on sheets of difi'erent sizes,

center of the bed for narrow. sheets, and

' farther outward for wider sheets.

The shaft 13 is, in the present instance, the main operating shaft, from which the various operativeparts of the mechanism are-driven'and timed, and motion is conveyed from shaft 13 to the take-ofi' roller 36 by means of a pinion 42 on shaft 13, which meshes with a pinion 43 journaled on the frame of the machine, which pinion in turn engages a gear 44 fixed to and rotatable with the take-ofl roller.

The up-and-down-movable pressure rolls 37, are actuated by means of a cam 44 fixed to the end of shaft-l3 and engaging a roller 45 on the upper end of an arm 46 fixed at its lower end to the end of the rock shaft 39 which carries the pressure rolls, the shape of the cam 44 being such that for every revolution of the shaft 13, the pressure rolls will be moved upwardly and downwardly to coiiperate with the take-off roller 36 as previously described. Shaft 13 also drives the feeding bed, by imparting to the shaft for the endless bands 4, an intermittent stepby-step movement so as to impart a corresponding feeding motion to the pile of sheets. This driving action is effected in the following manner: A ratchet wheel 47 is fixed to the end of shaft 7, and is acted on by a driving pawl 48 pivoted to an upright vibratory lever 49 mounted loosely at its lower end on the shaft 7 at the outer side of the ratchet wheel, the forward motion of the lever 49 causing the pawl to engage the ratchet teeth and advance the ratchet wheel, and consequently rotate the shaft 7, and the return movement of the vibratory lever causingthe driving pawl to engage the next tooth on the wheel. Lever'49 is vibrated by means of a cam 50 fixed to shaft 13 at the inner -side of the cam 44, which cam 50 engages a roller 51 on the outer end of a reciprocating driving member in the form of a yoke-frame 52, having. a slot 53 therein which straddles shaft 13, I the rear endof thesaid yoke being jOlIlted,

as at 53, to the upper end ofthe vibratory lever 49. The form of cam 50 is such that in each revolution of the shaft 13, it will thrust the yoke frame forwardly endwise,

which action will swing lever 49 in a corresponding direction, and willjca use the driving pawl 48 thereon to advance shaft 7 one step, the lever being moved rearward for another hold on the ratchet wheel by'mcans of a spring 49 fixed at its ends to the lever and frame respectively. The continuous rotation of the operating cam will thus act to turn shaft 7 intermittently, and advance the feeding belts step by step.

The control of the feeding movement of the belts by the thickness of the sheet ,pile,

is effected by interrupting the movement of the yokeframe imparted thereto by cam 50. This is effected by means of a finger 54 fixed at its upper end to a horizontal transverse rock shaft 55 mounted in bearings in the standards 14 and 15. The finger at its lower end, floats on the surface of the sheet plle, and it has connected with its upper end,

a forwardly extending arm 56, the forward extremity of which normally, and when the sheet pile is of the proper thickness, stands below and out of the path of a block 57 on the yoke frame, in which position of the parts, the yoke frame is free to be moved endwise by its cam and will impart a vibra-- g0 tory motion to lever 49. When, however, the thickness] of the pile increases to an improper point, finger 54 being raised, will lift arm 56 and move it into the path of block 57, and the end of the arm will, in this positi0n,'act as a stop for the yoke and will prevent it from being moved rearwardly by its spring, and the cam will rotate idly with the lever held in its forward position without imparting motion to the same, and consequently the feeding bands will remain at rest. When by the removal of the successive sheets and their delivery, the proper thickness of the sheet-pile has been restored, the finger 54 moving down, will again lower arm 56 out of the path of block 57 on the yoke frame, and the latter being released, it will as before, be operated by its cam, and the feeding movement of the belts will be resumed.' It'will be noted therefore, that by the mechanism described, the advance of the sheet'pile to the action of v the combing (devices is automatically controlled by the thickness of the pile, at the point where the combing devices act thereon, the increase of the thickness of the pile beyond its normal and proper limits, acting to automatically check the feeding movement, which movement will be automatically resumed, when by the removal of the sheets due to the continued action of the combing devices, the pilehas been restoredto its normal and proper-thickness. I

In the operation of the machine, the parts are so timed that for each revolution of shaft 13, the clutch dog will be operated by the high part of cam 29 to disengage the friction shoe from the annular friction surface, and this action is so timed in relation. to the delivery of the sheet, that the latch on lever 31 will be permitted to move for+ ward in position to engage the shoulder on sively to the action of the delivery mechanism, the combing devices remaining in action on a sheet until it hasv been advanced within reach of the delivery mechanism, and then disengaging from the sheet, and being held disengaged until the first sheet has been conveyed far enough not to interfere with the advance of the second sheet, and then lowered again into action on the second sheet, the disengagement of the combing device from the second sheet being effected automatically, when the' latter reaches a point where it will be acted on by the delivery mechanism. As a result of these repeated sequences of operation, the'sheets are never acted on simultaneously both by the combing devices and the delivery mechanism, but said mechanisms operate on the sheets individually, that is to say, when the delivery mechanism is acting on one sheet, the combing device is acting on the next sheet, and when this latter sheet is taken up by the delivery mechanism, it is freed from the action of the combing device. This insures a-uniform feed of, and the delivery of the sheets, in a speedy manner and Without danger of tear or buckling.

By reason of the fact that the two combing devices and their associated controlling members are independently mounted and. controlled, the sheets will be advanced and presented squarely to the action of the deivery mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets, and movable out of engagement with the same, a traveling friction element, a friction member adapted to be engaged with and moved by said friction element, operative connections between the friction member and the combing device, whereby the movement of said member by the traveling friction surface will move the combing device out of engagement with the sheet, and releasable controlling means for positively holding said friction member out of engagement with the friction element,

said means adapted to be released by the advancing sheet.

2. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets and movable out of engagement with-the same, a traveling friction element, a friction member adapted to be engaged with and moved by said friction element, and tendin normally to move into engagement with t e same, operative connec tions between the friction member and the combing device, whereby the movement of said member by the friction element will move the combing device out of engagement with the sheet, and a movable controlling device cooperating with said friction member and holding the same out of engagement with the friction element, said controlling device adapted to be moved by the advancing sheet to release the friction member.

3. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets, and movable out of engagement with the same, a traveling frictiotion element, a friction member adapted to be engaged with and moved by said friction element, operative connections between the friction member and the combing device, whereby the movement of said member by the friction element will move the combing device out of engagement with the sheet, and a movable controlling device in position to be engaged and moved by the advancing sheet, and provided with a locking surface adapted to engage a corresponding surface on the friction member and hold the same out of engagement with the friction element, saidengaging surface extending in the general direction of the movement of the controlling device.

4. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets, and movable out of 'engagement with the same, a traveling friction element, a friction member adapted to be engaged with and moved by said friction element, operative connections between the friction member and the combing device, whereby the movement of said member by the friction element will move the combing device out of engagement with the sheet, and a controlling device having a latch to engage the friction member and hold it out of engagement with the friction element, and being provided with a tripping finger adapted by the action of the advancing sheet to grip the latch and release the friction mem- 5. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing drum operable to advance the sheets, a swinging supporting arm "on whichsaid drum is mounted and by advance the sheets, an arm giving support to the combing drum and mounted to swing on an axis to disengage the combing drum from the sheet, a traveling friction element, a two-armed lever mounted to rock on the axis of the supporting arm and movable relativelyto said arm, one of the arms of the lever being in position. to engage the supporting arm, a friction member mounted on the other arm of the lever and adapted to be engaged with and moved by the friction element,'and means operated by the advancing sheet for controlling the engagement of the friction member with the friction element.

7. In. a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a rotary driving gear, a sup porting'arm swingable on the axis of said gear, a rotary combing drum 'mounted on said arm, a driving pinion connected with the combing drum and engaged by the gear, a travelin friction element concentric with the axis 0 the driving gear, a friction member operatively connected with the supporting arm and adapted to be engaged w th and moved by the friction element to sw ng the arm and disengage the combing drum'from the sheet, and means operated by the advancing sheet for controlling the engagementof the friction member with the friction ele ment.

8. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a rotary driving gear having an annular friction surf-ace, a supporting arm swingable on the axis of the gear, a rotary combing drum mounted on said arm, a driving pinion connected with the drum and engaged bythe gear, a friction dog operatively connected with the supporting arm and movable into and out of engagement with the annular friction surface,and means operated by thetadvancing sheet for controlling the engagement of the friction member with the friction surface.

9. In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing drum operable to advance the sheets, a supporting arm on which said drum is mounted, said arm being movable to disengage the combing drum from and engage the same with the sheets, a movable lever adapted to engage the supporting arm, a friction member carried by the lever, a traveling friction element engaged by the friction member and operating when so engaged to move the lever and operate the supporting arm to disengage the combing device from the sheet, means controlling the engagement of the friction member with the friction element, and means for disengaging the friction member from the friction element to allow the supporting arm tomove the combing device into engagement with the sheet, the, said lever adapted when the combing drum is thus moved, to move relatively into and out of engagement with the supporting arm.

lO.'In a paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing drum operable to advance the sheets, a supporting arm on which said drum is mounted, said arm being movable to disengage the combing device from and engage the same w th the sheets, a

' movable le'veradapted to: engage the supporting-arm, a friction member carried by the lever, a traveling friction element engaged by the friction member and operating when so engaged to disengage the combing drum from the sheet, means for controlling the engagement of the friction member i with the friction element, means for disengaging the friction member therefrom to al- 11. In .a paper-feeding ,meclian ism, thecombination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets and movable into andout of engagementwith the same, a lever op erable. to disengage the combing device from the sheets, a traveling friction element, a friction member movably mounted onthe lever and adapted toengage and be moved by the friction element, an adjustable stop device on the-lever in position to be engaged by the friction member, and means for controll ng the engagement of the friction member with the friction element.

12. Ina paper-feeding mechanism, the combination of a combing device operable to advance the sheets and movable into and out of engagement with the same, a traveling friction element, a friction member adapted to engage with and be moved by the friction element to disengage the combing device from the sheets, alatch cooperating with the friction member to hold the same out of engagement with the friction element, means controlled bythe advancing sheetto trip the latch to permit the friction member to engage with the friction-element, whereby the combing device will-be disengaged from the sheet, means for disengaging the friction member from the friction element to permit the combing device to engage with the sheet, and a delivery device" adapted to act on the sheet when disengaged by the combing device, said several mechanisms being so timed that the friction member will be disengaged from the-friction element and in position to be engaged by the latch when the .sheet leaves the delivery mechanism,

13. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of an endless feeding belt for supporting the sheet pile, adriving pulley around which said belt passes, a ratchet wheel movable with said pulley, a vibrating lever extending upwardly above the feeding belt and provided with a pawl engaging the ratchet wheel to drive the same, a rotary, cam mounted above the feeding belt, a re ciprocating yoke frame jointed to the upper end of the driving lever and engaged by the frame according to the thickness of the sheet cam, a gravlt-ating finger mounted above the plle.

belt to rock on a horizontal transverse axis In testimony whereof, I have aliixed my and extending downwardly and resting on signature in presence of two witnesses the sheet pile, and an arm fixedly connected RUFUS A. FREEMAN, with the finger and extending upwardly Witnesses:

therefrom, said arm being movable by the W. R. KENNEDY,

finger into and out of the path of the yoke WM. J. DOLAN. 

